Device and method for reducing weight

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device ( 2 ) for reducing weight in an individual, the device ( 2 ) comprising: a generator ( 42, 43 ) adapted to produce an electrical signal; at least a first set of electrodes ( 6 ) comprising two electrodes ( 10, 12 ) able to be connected to the generator ( 42, 43 ) and being intended to be fixed to a first vagus nerve ( 18 ) of the individual at a predefined distance one from another to apply the electrical signal to a portion ( 19 ) of the first vagus nerve ( 18 ) located between the electrodes ( 10, 12 ); characterized in that it comprises a short-circuiting switch ( 52 ) being adapted to short-circuit the electrodes ( 10, 12 ).

1 . A device for reducing weight in an individual, the device comprising:
 a generator adapted to produce an electrical signal;   at least a first set of electrodes comprising two electrodes able to be connected to the generator and being intended to be fixed to a first vagus nerve of the individual at a predefined distance one from another to apply the electrical signal to a portion of the first vagus nerve located between the electrodes;   characterized in that it comprises a short-circuiting switch being adapted to be turned on for short-circuiting the electrodes, wherein the generator is a current generator and the applied electrical signal is an effective current signal which has an amplitude defined by a method implemented in a computer program stored in a memory, said amplitude increasing gradually during a progressive phase (PP) and being maintained constant during a stabilised phase (SP).   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the short-circuiting switch comprises a MOSFET transistor having a gate connected to a ground, a gate (D) linked to one electrode and a source (S) connected to the other electrode. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 2 , which comprises a voltage generator adapted to apply a voltage to the source (S) of the short-circuiting switch for controlling its turn on and turn off. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein it comprises:
 a second set of electrodes comprising two electrodes able to be connected to the generator and being intended to be fixed to a second vagus nerve of the individual body at a predefined distance one from another to feed with current a portion of the second vagus nerve located between the electrodes;   a channel selector switch adapted to connect alternatively the first set of electrodes ( 6 ) and the second set of electrodes to said generator according to a predefined frequency to transmit the current generated by said generator alternatively to the first and to the second vagus nerves.   
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the generator is adapted to adjust the voltage applied to at least the portion of the first vagus nerve, and in that the device comprises a detector adapted to generate an alarm when the amplitude of the current is superior to a predefined threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the generator is adapted to produce pulses trains, the pulses having amplitudes increasing from 0.1 milliampere to 2.5 milliampere during a progressive phase (PP) and a constant amplitude equal to 2.5 milliampere during a stabilised phase (SP). 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the progressive phase (PP) is an initial phase lasting between 10 and 20 days. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the generator is adapted to produce pulses trains, the pulses trains have a period of 33 milliseconds and the pulse (L) lasts 1 millisecond. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein each phase comprises an emission (T 1 ) period follows by a non emission period (T 2 ), the generator being adapted to produce pulses during each emission period (T 1 ), the generator not being adapted to produce any pulse during each non emission period (T 2 ), and in that the short-circuiting switch short-circuits the electrodes of the first and of the second sets during the non emission period (T 2 ). 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 10 , wherein the emission period (T 1 ) lasts for 30 seconds and the non emission period (T 2 ) lasts for 5 minutes. 
     
     
         12 . A method for reducing weight in an individual, wherein an effective electrical signal is applied peri-diaphragmatically to a portion of a first vagus nerve and optionally to a portion of a second vagus nerve, wherein the electrical signal is in the form of pulses trains, the pulses having amplitudes increasing from 0.1 milliampere to 2.5 milliampere during a progressive phase (PP) and a constant amplitude equal to 2.5 milliampere during a stabilised phase (SP). 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the progressive phase is an initial phase lasting between 10 and 20 days. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the pulses trains have a period of 33 milliseconds and the pulse (L) lasts 1 millisecond. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein each phase comprises an emission (T 1 ) period follows by a non emission period (T 2 ). 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein each phase comprises an emission (T 1 ) period follows by a non emission period (T 2 ), the emission period (T 1 ) lasts for 30 seconds and the non emission period (T 2 ) lasts 5 minutes. 
     
     
         17 . A method for reducing weight in an individual, wherein an effective electrical signal is applied peri-diaphragmatically to a portion of a first vagus nerve and optionally to a portion of a second vagus nerve by at least one device comprising:
 a generator adapted to produce an electrical signal;   at least a first set of electrodes comprising two electrodes able to be connected to the generator and being intended to be fixed to a first vagus nerve of the individual at a predefined distance one from another to apply the electrical signal to a portion of the first vagus nerve located between the electrodes;   characterized in that it comprises a short-circuiting switch being adapted to be turned on for short-circuiting the electrodes, the generator is a current generator, the individual is a mammal, and the applied electrical signal is an effective current signal which has an amplitude defined by a method implemented in a computer program stored in a memory, said amplitude increasing gradually during a progressive phase and being maintained constant during a stabilised phase (SP).   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the device is surgically implanted in the individual. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the device is implanted in a left subclavian area of the individual. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the individual is obese. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the individual is morbidly obese. 
     
     
         22 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the individual is obese. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the individual is morbidly obese.